Today, I was babysitting a 4-year-old, and we decided to play a game of hide and seek. Before he started to count, he looked me in the eyes and said that if I hid in his spot, he'd murder me with a knife when he grows up. I have to babysit this kid for the rest of the summer. FML

I would taken him by the ear and sit him down in time out and let him know he can't say things like that. I babysat a kid for 8 years and anything that starts quick can end quick with the right discipline. Never let them see fear in your eyes. They have to learn what is appropriate and what isn't for their age.

If they are paying me to babysit then it also gives me the power to discipline when the kid is bad and to teach them how to grow up as a decent human. I'm not there to get yelled at, beat up, or verbally abused by a child. It takes a village to raise kids and letting them walk all over adults is not the way I would want my kids to be brought up. Sorry if you don't agree and let children threaten to stab you and just sit there and not teach them right from wrong, but I would never.

Agreed. I wasn't allowed to disrespect ANY adults as a child, and I wouldn't let my child do so either. When you leave them in someone else's care, that person should be respected just as much. It's perfectly fine for a babysitter to teach a child proper behavior. Lack of discipline is why there are so many bratty & spoiled children these days.

Actually, considering he's 4 and has no idea of the implications of his words it's not that shocking. It's creepy, but all you have to do is tell the child that it's wrong (because he doesn't know it's wrong yet) to say things like that to people.

That's really disturbing dialogue from a 4-year-old even if he doesn't mean it! I would mention it to the parents; he could be watching inappropriate television or for all you know he IS in therapy. If my 4-year-old said something of that nature I would be HUGELY concerned.

I *beep* hate when people use the tired old excuse 'his just a kid and doesn't know any better!' *grunts* that may be true, but if you don't discipline or tell him that its wrong he will never know! if it was up to me I would firmly but delicately tell him that you never speak to an adult like that under any circumstances, and if he continues to do this, call his parents ask permission to spank him. but that's just me. good luck op

theres a big difference between violets and violence
one is a nice smelling flower and the other one is a form of depraved behavior people inflict on each other because their intelligence matches a two month old